Pramila Jayapal, won the 7th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016. She has a long history of activism and advocacy in Seattle. She founded the post-9/11 immigrant rights group Hate Free Zone (now OneAmerica), which has held massive voter registration drives.

“The only reason I got into politics was because I believed it was another platform for organizing,” she says, “and that’s what I want to do with my congressional campaign. We’ve brought in thousands of leaders, young people and people of color and women who never saw themselves as part of democracy.”[1]

Defense spending cuts letter

May 19, 2020.

Dear Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry:

We write to request a reduction in defense spending during the coronavirus pandemic. As you draft this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we encourage you to authorize a level of spending below last year’s authorized level. Congress must remain focused on responding to the coronavirus pandemic and distributing needed aid domestically. In order to do so, appropriators must have access to increased levels of non-defense spending which could be constrained by any increase to defense spending.

Debt Collective debt

In June 2019, Bernie Sanders and representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Pramila Jayapal held a press conference outside the Senate and announced the College for All Act of 2019, which, if passed and signed into law, would cancel all student debt and make public college free.

Our group put student debt cancellation on the national radar when we launched a groundbreaking student debt strike. The strike began with 15 former students who had attended for-profit colleges and bravely refused to pay their federal loans. That led to a larger campaign that has helped secure over a billion dollars in debt relief for tens of thousands of people, and has been said to rankle Donald Trump’s billionaire secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.

The Debt Collective has also made progress on the issue of medical debt abolition. In 2012, we launched something called the Rolling Jubilee, which involved buying portfolios of medical debt on the secondary debt market (where it is sold for pennies on the dollar), just like debt collectors do. But instead of collecting on the debts, we erased them. Ultimately, we wiped out over $15 million in predatory medical debt this way. In September, we were overjoyed when Sanders proposed eliminating all $81 billion of medical debt currently in collections using a mechanism similar to the one we devised.

When we first raised the idea of debt resistance and debt cancellation at Occupy, we were mocked. We’ve come a long way: Thousands of people have had their loans erased; our efforts have influenced the 2020 Democratic primary; and we’re planning an even bigger campaign to ensure full student debt relief and free college become not just proposals but realities. Remember this: If the federal government ends up canceling your student loans, you’ll have Occupy to thank for it.[4]

Resolution calling for a final settlement of the Korean War

February 26, 2019 Press Release

Washington, DC – As President Trump arrives to Hanoi, Vietnam, Rep. Ro Khanna, along with eighteen Democratic Members of Congress, have introduced a resolution calling for a final settlement of the Korean War, now officially in its 68th year.

The resolution -- which is backed by former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Jimmy Carter and a range of Korean-American and pro-diplomacy organizations -- urges the Trump Administration to provide a clear roadmap to achieve a final peace settlement while highlighting the importance of reciprocal actions and confidence-building measures between the parties.

“Historic engagement between South and North Korea has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to formally end this war,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “President Trump must not squander this rare chance for peace. He should work hand in hand with our ally, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, to bring the war to a close and advance toward the denuclearization of the peninsula.”

“I commend this important resolution that will help bring this nearly 70 year conflict to a close,” said President Jimmy Carter. “I have visited North Korea several times to talk with their leadership and study the best path forward for peace. Ending the threat of war is the only way to ensure true security for both the Korean and American people and will create the conditions to alleviate the suffering of the ordinary North Koreans who are most harmed by ongoing tensions.”

Co-led by prominent progressive Reps. Andy Kim, Barbara Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Deb Haaland, and Jan Schakowsky, the resolution calls on the Trump Administration to make greater efforts to include women in the peace process, citing the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 which Trump signed into law. Women’s rights icon Gloria Steinem, founder of the peace group Women Cross DMZ, published an op-ed in the Washington Post on Sunday in support of the resolution.

The resolution clarifies that ending the war does not necessitate a withdrawal of US troops from Korea or an acceptance of North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power. The resolution calls on the Administration to continue the repatriation of servicemember remains, and expand cooperation to achieve reunions of divided Korean and Korean-American families and facilitate people-to-people exchanges and humanitarian cooperation.

Rep. Khanna has been a consistent voice for diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula. Shortly after Trump threatened “fire and fury” against North Korea, Khanna was joined by over 70 Congressmembers on his bipartisan “No Unconstitutional Strike on North Korea Act”, which would reinforce existing law prohibiting an unauthorized and unprovoked strike on North Korea. He has also been critical of those in both parties who have sought to restrict flexibility in negotiations, instead urging support for the diplomatic approach of our South Korean ally and its President, Moon Jae-in.

Rep. Khanna will travel to Atlanta next week to sit down with Pres. Carter to discuss developments on the Korean Peninsula and solicit guidance from the Nobel Laureate about how the next generation of policymakers can best pursue a pro-diplomacy agenda for America.

"Community members from the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), the UndocuBlack Network (UBN), Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC, The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), African Communities Together and UNITE HERE Local 23 will host a timely press conference denouncing President Trump’s racist statements in his meeting with U.S. Senators last week and call for a DREAM Act that leaves family sponsorship and diversity visa programs intact by January 19th, the deadline for the upcoming Continuing Resolution (CR). In addition to impacted community members and community leaders, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Congresswoman Judy Chu, CAPAC Immigration Subcommittee Chair Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, California State Senate President pro tempore Kevin de Leon and California Assemblymember and Chair of the California Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Rob Bonta will participate."

Endorsements page

Activist history

A native of India raised in Indonesia, Pramila Jayapal became a US citizen in 2000 and quickly emerged as an essential activist in the state of Washington. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, she formed the group Hate Free Zone to advocate on behalf of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities threatened by violence and discrimination. Now known as OneAmerica, the group has earned broad recognition for championing immigrant rights, for its focus on voter registration and participation, and for its innovative campaigns to make real the promise of American democracy. Jayapal also worked to create Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs; played a pivotal role in selecting the city’s police chief (as chair of a high-profile search committee that emphasized the need for community engagement and accountability); and was elected to the State Senate in 2014.

As a legislator, she’s been at the forefront of fights to hike the state’s minimum wage, cut costs for higher education, and promote voter registration. While Jayapal is one of the most progressive legislators in the country, she has developed a reputation for working across the lines of party and ideology to develop bipartisan support (make that tripartisan support—she’s worked closely with socialist Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant) for a bold reform agenda.[12]

Immigration arrest

Friday, September 13, 2013 roughly 200 women came to D.C. to march, blockade, protest and get arrested as a part of a mass demonstration on Capitol
Hill. We Belong Together, an initiative of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) and the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), organized the action. The protest featured various women’s groups that gathered, held hands in a circle and sat down on Independence Ave between Capitol Hill and House members’ offices. By the end of the day over 100 women were arrested as they called for a move on immigration legislation.[16]

The Nation event

Working with Jess Spear

Working with Jim McDermott

Jim McDermott worked closely with Pramila Jayapal in launching Hate Free Zone (later OneAmerica) after the 9/11 attacks, "as they championed a people’s movement to defend our immigrant brothers and sisters who were under unjust racist, anti-Muslim, and immigrant-bashingattacks and threats".

In 2002, Jim McDermott stood almost alone and dared to tell the world that George W. Bush was misleading the Americanpeople about the situation in Iraq. Hebecame “Baghdad Jim.” Months later, he and Pramila Jayapal would share the stage at one of the largest demonstrations in Seattle history, opposing the Iraq War.

We were not able to stop that war, but brother Jim and Pramila Jayapal were our champions in that fight Pramila Jayapal is anotherwonderful example of a courageous leader.

Jim McDermott and Pramila Jayapal worked together on a number of issues.

When the mosque near Northgate was targeted by hate crimes and when Muslim women were attacked in Seattle for wearing the hijab, Pramila led the fight to protect them. When the immigrant grocers in the Rainier Valley were unjustly accused of being supporters of terrorism, brother Jim, Pramila Jayapal, and Hate Free Zone stood with them. Months later, the grocers were fully exonerated. Pramila also led the successful class action lawsuit against the Bush administration’s planned mass deportation of thousands of Somali men, preventing those deportations of thousands across the country.[17]

CCC award

Since 2005, the Center for Community Change has "recognized some of our nation’s top community leaders for advancing the cause of social justice, with a particular impact on the lives of low-income people and people of color. CCC’s Community Change Champion Awards are presented to individuals and organizations who are our heroes in the social justice movement".[18]

Congressional run

Pramila Jayapal is an immigration rights activist and Washington state senator U.S. House of Representatives, Washington’s 7th District.

After State Senator Adam Kline announced his retirement in early 2014, Jayapal was one of several Democrats to enter the race to succeed him. She was endorsed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. She won more than 51% of the vote in Washington's open primary on August 5, 2014, out of a field of six candidates. She went on to defeat fellow Democrat Louis Watanabe in November.

When progressive stalwart Jim McDermott retired, a seat opened up in one of the most progressive congressional districts in the country. Of the four candidates seeking the nomination, the India-born Pramila Jayapal is the only one to endorse Bernie Sanders. Jayapal, 50, also has been a prominent supporter of socialist Seattle City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant.

When announcing her candidacy in January, Jayapal said, “What Congress needs is a progressive voice who is unafraid to take on these powerful interests—who is willing to fight for all Americans, not just the wealthiest 1%.”

Seattle United Against FBI Repression

Local leaders and groups ask President Obama and U.S. Attorney General to end Grand Jury investigation of peace and solidarity activists...

More than 70 regional community leaders and organizations have signed an open letter calling on President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to use their authority to "stop assaults on freedom of speech and association, to halt FBI entrapment, [and] to keep nonviolent activists from being sent to prison.” The letter (attached) was issued by Seattle United Against FBI Repression.

According to Doug Barnes, an initiator of Seattle United Against FBI Repression, “People from a variety of communities have signed the letter because of their concern about FBI raids around the country on peace activists, labor organizers, Palestinian and Colombian solidarity groups, and socialists.” The raids began on Sept. 24, 2010 in Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. Twenty-three activists have been issued subpoenas to appear before a Grand Jury or face imprisonment.

The letter states, “Here in the Northwest, we have not forgotten the false FBI terrorism charges after 9/11 against the owners of a Somali grocery store and wire service in South Seattle. In 2009, Olympia activists planning nonviolent civil disobedience against the war in Iraq were infiltrated by an Army intelligence agent, who passed information to the FBI, police, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). …We are also disturbed by the FBI’s renewed targeting of the Muslim community with its so-called ‘sting operations.’…These FBI entrapment tactics are creating anti-Muslim hysteria in those communities, which should not be the policy of our government.”

The letter concludes, “We are greatly concerned about these threats to our democracy, our First Amendment rights, and the civil liberties of all people who reside in the United States.” Signers ask for a prompt “proactive response” from President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder.[19]

Far left support

In 2016 Washington State's District 7 seat had become available because Representative Jim McDermott, retired after 37 years in the U.S. House.

After winning the consequent primary Pramila Jayapal's victory in the primary was greeted with jubilation here in the Emerald City as hundreds of her grassroots supporters cheered her at a post-election celebration.

Jayapal told the crowd in the Hale's Palladium Ballroom in Ballard, "You have fueled the flame of our movement with the clear belief that we can and will reclaim our government to work for all of us."

If her words sounded like those of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, it is not surprising. Jayapal is seen as an ideological soulmate of the Bernie Sanders grassroots "political revolution."

Jayapal would face Brady Walkinshaw November 8. Like Jayapal, a serving Washington State senator.

Elena Perez, community organizer for United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 21 told Seattle Weekly at the election night celebration, "Pramila is one of the rare candidates I will do anything for....I trust her implicitly. I feel like if she is in Congress then I'm in good hands."

"I'm very, very enthusiastic about Pramila," Williams told the People's World. "She is a wonderful candidate to work for. I asked for 400 pieces of her literature to cover my own precinct and the neighboring precinct to the north and distributed all of them.

"Pramila won both of these precincts," Williams said. Walkinshaw will be her contender in November so we have our work to do. Pramila is a truly progressive candidate. Washington is moving forward."

Writing in The Nation magazine, John Nichols quoted Jayapal as saying, "We're building a movement that can clearly stake out a positive vision for the future of America at a time when too many people feel cynical about change, and when too many people are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table."

According to Nicholls, Jayapal argues that "corporations and special interests have their voice in Congress, and they have too many members scared of their power. What Congress needs is a progressive voice who is unafraid to take on these powerful interests-who is willing to fight for all Americans, not just the wealthiest one percent."

Nichols wrote that Jayapal joins "a number of the Democrats ... being nominated for the House [who are] progressives who really could change the chamber and the country."[22]

Socialist staffer

Facing Race conference

The Facing Race conference participants gathered just days after the conclusion of the most contentious election season in decades, November 10-12, 2016 — Atlanta, Georgia.

Both major parties exposed their deep splinters, Trumpism became the new normal and many politicians were forced to deal with issues that communities of color raised to national prominence. In Facing Race's closing plenary on November 12, racial justice leaders speak to the challenges of governance before us, and how the movement can position itself to make the most of the next four years.[24]

These are the activists and thought leaders featured in "Where Do We Go From Here?" listed in alphabetical order:

“At a time when South Asian, Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, and Arab community members are facing hate violence and harassment on nearly a daily basis, we need real leadership from Washington to stem the tide of injustice,” stated Suman Raghunathan, Executive Director of SAALT. “Waiting nearly a week before commenting on a deadly shooting in Kansas won’t do it. Issuing a second toxic Muslim Ban won’t do it. We need direct action from this administration to forge inclusion, justice, and hope in this quintessential nation of immigrants. SAALT will continue fighting for laws and policies that light a path toward a just and inclusive future for us all.”

Letter on US-Mexico security Co-operation

Urgent alert from our friends at CISPES- Los Angeles Chapter : "The US plans to expand cooperation between Mexico and the United States to unfairly and inhumanely target Central American migrants and asylum seekers at the upcoming "Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America".

We asked Representative Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach to author a letter to Secretary Tillerson calling for to put the human rights of Central Americans and all migrants and refugees front and center, and he's circulating a letter now. To have the biggest impact possible we need as many Members of Congress as possible to sign this letter!

Call or email your representative today and ask them to join Mr. Lowenthal as a co-signer.

Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) led 37 Members of Congress, including top Democrats from the Armed Forces, Judiciary and Appropriations committees, in sending a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to raise red flags about “suggestions that the United States deepen security collaboration with Mexico along its southern border [with Guatemala] due to evidence that Mexico’s Southern Border Program has led to wide-spread human rights violations and abuses against migrants and asylum-seekers.”

Tagawa connection

AAPI Mobilization to demand a CLEAN DREAM ACT

On Nov 15 and 16, SAALT along with NCAPA, AAJC, APALA, NAKASEC and other national partners rallied on Capitol Hill to press for the passage of a clean, bicameral Dream Act and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Over 120 Asian American and Pacific Islander undocumented youth and allies, including two young South Asian DREAMers brought in by SAALT, hosted a press conference, rally, and individual meetings with House and Senate leadership. This included Representative Judy Chu, Representative Luis Gutierrez Representative Ro Khanna, Senator Dick Durbin, and Senator Dianne Feinstein, among many others. The young leaders demanded a clean DREAM Act that doesn’t compromise the future of other immigrants or negatively impact our immigration system.

CAIR support for Bill

Senator Kamala Harris, D-Calif., introduced her first bill February 2017 that would provide legal counsel to those held or detained while trying to enter the U.S.

The Access to Counsel Act would allow lawyers to provide legal counsel by phone or video if they cannot physically be present. It would also invalidate any documents abandoning legal resident status or applications for admission if detainees have signed them after being denied legal services.

“As the Trump administration is attempting to close it borders to refugees and asylum seekers, prompt access to lawyers for people who come fleeing persecution is a critical safeguard to ensure they receive the protections guaranteed under U.S. and international law,” said Mary Meg McCarthy, executive director of the National Immigrant Justice Center.[29]

"No Muslim Ban ever"

We're proud to host a congressional reception tonight with our friends at ACLU, Oxfam & National Immigration Law Center recognizing Members of Congress working to rescind and defund the #MuslimBan. Stay tuned to your feeds tonight for live updates.

NIAC 2020 endorsement

The 2020 Election may be the most critical vote in our lifetime. It is more important than ever that Iranian Americans and our allies have a powerful voice at the ballot box.

That’s why we are excited to announce NIAC Action’s first 2020 endorsements – our largest ever single wave of endorsements!

We have an opportunity to elect more Iranian Americans into office than ever before.

And we have our best chance ever to send the first Iranian American to the U.S. Congress!

We have identified twelve champions of our community – incumbent members of Congress who have worked to prevent war and end Trump’s ban on our families, and Iranian Americans who are ready to make an impact in all levels of government. With your help, we can elect them to office and bring real change in 2020.

By making a donation to NIAC Action PAC, you can help elect these champions of our community and send a powerful, united message that Iranian Americans will not be ignored on the political stage.

Pramila Jayapal – Incumbent, U.S. Congress (D, WA-7)\
Congresswoman Jayapal is a leading progressive voice in Congress who supports legislative efforts to prevent war with Iran and advocates for equitable immigration policies for all communities..[31]

NIAC Action Commends Resolution on JCPOA

July 16 2019 Washington DC – Moments ago, Reps. Barbara Lee, Jan Schakowsky, and David Price introduced a resolution calling for the United States to return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran deal, from which President Trump withdrew in May 2018.

In response, NIAC President Jamal Abdi issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal has put the U.S. on the brink of war with Iran and threatened to undo the hard won constraints against Iran’s nuclear program. Thankfully, many Members of Congress recognize that there is no military solution to the present crisis, and that the best way to de-escalate is for the U.S. to return to compliance with the nuclear deal. Representatives Lee, Schakowsky and Price should be commended for their years of leadership in advancing peace and diplomacy, including by introducing this important resolution.

“There remains strong political will in Congress to restore U.S. credibility and engage Iran diplomatically–despite Trump and Bolton’s push for war. For Members of Congress and Presidential contenders, it is good and important to call out Trump’s dangerous moves that have taken us to the brink of war. Yet, the root cause of this crisis was Donald Trump’s decision to kill a strong nuclear agreement with Iran, which is why signaling support for a return to compliance is so important. The Lee-Schakowsky-Price resolution helps solidify the growing consensus for a JCPOA return while signaling that the window for diplomacy is not shut, nor is the opportunity to restore U.S. credibility with both the international community and the Iranian people.

SAALT Congressional Briefing on Hate Violence

March 23, 2017, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national South Asian civil rights organization, held a Congressional briefing to address the uptick in hate violence nationwide and highlight recommendations for change, as outlined in our recent report, “Power, Pain, Potential.” SAALT was joined by eight members of Congressional leadership and community partners in an urgent discussion on combatting the surge in hate violence aimed at South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Arab, and Middle Eastern Americans across the country.

“As President Trump continues to test fire Muslim bans, this administration appears intent on intensifying efforts to ignore and provoke hate violence,” stated Suman Raghunathan, Executive Director of SAALT. “The President has a sworn duty to protect the rights and safety of all Americans. Today’s briefing with Congressional leaders is an important step in making sure President Trump doesn’t escape his responsibilities.”

Our communities have experienced devastating violence in recent months, including deadly shootings in Kansas and Washington State, numerous arson attacks and vandalism of mosques, businesses, and homes nationwide, and mounting fear by our communities across the country.

“SAALT stands ready to work with Congressional leaders to fight hate violence and xenophobic political rhetoric impacting our communities across the country,” stated Ms. Raghunathan. “South Asian Americans are the most rapidly growing demographic group, and we are committed to policies at all levels that reinforce the place our communities have in our nation now and as we continue to grow.”

"Summary Execution" booklaunch

All are invited to attend the Commemoration and Book Launch Party celebrating of the lives and work of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes, and the publication of Summary Execution: The Seattle Assassinations of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes by Michael Withey, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 (2018)at the Seattle Labor Temple, 2800 1st Ave.

On June 1, 1981, Domingo and Viernes, two young Filipino activists were murdered in Seattle in what was made to appear a gang slaying. The victims’ families and friends suspected that they were considered a threat to Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his regime’s relationship to the United States. In the days after the murders, they formed the Committee for Justice for Domingo and Viernes to investigate. In Summary Execution, attorney and author Michael Withey describes the 10-year struggle for justice waged by that committee.

Anti-ICE protest

They came from all over, took planes and buses from 47 states, slept at friends' homes or in churches and prepared to be arrested Thursday June 27, 2018in Washington, D.C.

Most of the participants were white women, stumbling over the syllables of Spanish-language chants. Many had never faced arrest before. But here they were.

Capitol Police said 575 protesters were arrested and escorted out of the Hart Senate Office Building in a mass demonstration that called for the abolishment of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and an end to migrant family detentions and the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy.

They were charged with unlawfully demonstrating, a misdemeanor.

"I have two kids, and as a white mother, there is almost no circumstance that they would be taken away from me - ever," said Victoria Farris, who slept Wednesday night in All Souls Church after participating in civil disobedience training. "I was awake one night because I couldn't sleep thinking about all those [immigrant] mothers and terrified children. I realized I had to do something more than protest, more than make a sign and march."

Protesters unfurled banners inside the Hart building Thursday as others staged a sit-in, wrapping themselves in shiny, silver space blankets. The political banners, which aren't allowed in the building's lobby, were confiscated by police.

Capitol Police process a group consisting mostly of women demonstrators inside the Hart building in Washington, D.C.

Then the arrests began.

Just after 3 p.m., protesters were rounded up in groups of a dozen or more and led out of the building.

"Abolish ICE," they shouted as more were moved out. "Shut it down."

Demonstrators continued to sing and chant as they were led away.

When the first group was escorted out of the building, the remaining crowd erupted in cheers.

"I join them in calling on the Trump administration to reunite these families and give these kids back to their parents," Duckworth said. "On my side of things, I ask my colleagues, let's pass, finally, sensible immigration reform."

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., joined in the protest and was led out with marchers by Capitol Police. Actress Susan Sarandon, who marched at the front as the protest made its way down Constitution Avenue, was arrested with a group of demonstrators.

It took about an hour to clear the women from the building.

The protest began hours earlier at Freedom Plaza, where hundreds of women robed in white and carrying signs deriding the Trump administration's immigration policy had gathered. The protest was organized by a coalition of groups, including the Women's March and the immigrant advocacy organization Casa de Maryland.

Several participants wrote "WE CARE" on their palms, a rebuke of the jacket first lady Melania Trump wore on her first trip to visit detained children near the border.

But now it is central to the mission of her group and Thursday's march.

"This country has finally been exposed to the brutality and inhumanity of immigration enforcement," she said. "This barrage of injustices has inspired us to say, 'No more. We will not be silent. We will not obey.' "

After gathering at Freedom Plaza, the group marched to the Justice Department before heading to the Hart building, singing hymns and protest songs all the way.

Organizers of the D.C. rally said similar protests will take place in 351 congressional districts across the country.[35]

Working with Ocasio-Cortez

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal July 24 2018.

So great to spend time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez today. Excited to welcome her to Congress and to move a strong progressive agenda for the people together!

PDA 2018 endorsement

Justice Democrats

She the People 2018 Summit

She the People's three-year initiative kicked off with its inaugural She the People Summit on September 20, 2018 at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco. The sold-out, first-ever national summit of women of color in politics drew nearly 600 attendees, mostly women of color, from 36 states.

National Strategy Call to Win Medicare for All

Medicare for All launch

With wide backing from unions and citizens groups, and majority public support, the Congressional Progressive Caucus formally unveiled its comprehensive Medicare For All legislation.

Surrounded by more than 100 backers at a Feb. 27 outdoor Capitol Hill press conference, from National Nurses United (NNU), the Center for Popular Democracy and Our Revolution, a parade of lawmakers, led by caucus co-chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., pitched the fight over the new legislation, HR1384, in human, justice and financial terms.

They said it would save people money they now pay on health insurers’ co-pays, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, save businesses money they fork over to the insurers for declining coverage for their workers, and save U.S. health care spending by letting doctors and nurses treat patients before their conditions worsen.

“Thirty people die every day in America because they lack health care coverage,” said one backer, Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. After 150 hearings and events NNU held nationwide, the union concluded “people across this country want real reform, now,” said union Executive Director Bonnie Castillo.

“For all the people suffering from illness in the U.S., this (legislation) is for you,” Jayapal said.

“We know we must take this on now,” AFT President Randi Weingarten declared at the press conference. “Health care costs have become an issue in every collective bargaining agreement for two decades – and an issue in the recent teachers’ strikes.”

“It is past time to shift the health care burden off hard-working families by streamlining our health care system, instead of padding the pockets of the insurance companies,” said IAM President Robert Martinez in a statement.

Jayapal called the union support “unprecedented,” even though a prominent past backer, the Steelworkers, isn’t on the list yet. Nor is the AFL-CIO, which included single-payer in its health care initiatives endorsements at its last convention, in St. Louis.

HR1384 would replace the private insurance industry and its 33 percent overhead share of the nation’s health care spending – along with its high co-pays, deductibles and cost-shifting to workers — with a government-run system that covers far more people and far more procedures than Medicare does. There would be a 2-year phase-in period involving Medicare growth.

Reproductive rights coverage would be guaranteed and dental, vision, mental health, primary care and guaranteed total payment for hospital care would be added to the coverage mix.

And HR1384 would eliminate the high deductibles, rising co-pays and high health insurance cost-shifting by employers that now plague both the present health care payment system and the country. Firms now unload health care costs on their workers, if they cover the workers at all. Weingarten noted the Auto Workers were forced to take over health care costs when GM and Fiat-Chrysler went broke during the Great Recession.

The U.S. spends 19 percent of its gross domestic product on health care, far more than any other developed nation, “and has some of the worst outcomes” for all that money, Jayapal said. They include finishing dead last among developed nations in maternal health and infant mortality and declining longevity.

Meanwhile, the health insurers walked away with $43 billion in profits last year and insurance company CEOs raked in millions of dollars each in salary and bonuses, she said. All because they and Big Pharma “put profits before people.”

“First of all, we cover everyone,” Jayapal declared. That’s in contrast to 30 million uninsured – including a ban, in the Affordable Care Act, on covering undocumented people – and 40 million underinsured.

And while the ACA added millions of people to coverage – 330,000 in Cook County, Ill. alone, said Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Ill. — too many people, several speakers said, are one serious illness, or one illness of a family member, away from health-care-cost-caused bankruptcy.

Even people supposedly covered by the present system are still stuck with thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs. Jennifer Epps-Addison, executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy, told the crowd she usually doesn’t use her own story to illustrate problems, but she would here: Her husband, who has had multiple sclerosis for three years, is covered by CPD’s health insurance.

But while single-payer has wide public support, it also faces determined opposition from the health insurers, who have already launched a multi-million-dollar scare campaign against it, from the GOP, which calls it “socialism” and from the radical right. The health insurers don’t even like a “compromise” to set up a government-run system alongside their firms – and let consumers and companies choose their coverage option.

And one person in the audience held up a hand-made sign imploring four of Connecticut’s five representatives, all Democrats, to support the single-payer bill. The one not on the sign: Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., a first-year lawmaker, union member and former National Teacher of the Year. Hayes made single-payer a key campaign plank in her win in the Danbury-Waterbury 5th District last year.[37]

Venezuela letter

DSA is organizing a congressional campaign. California Democrat Ro Khanna and Washington Democrat Pramila Jayapal are circulating a letter "rejected threats of US Military intervention in Venezuela, supporting dialogue to resolve the political crisis there, and opposing broad economic sanctions that hurt ordinary civilians." The letter urges support for a mediation process advocated by the governments of Mexico and Uruguay to promote dialogue. Contact your Congressperson, especially members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, to sign the letter.

WCAN connection

Our members were STOKED to talk with Rep. Pramila Jayapal at the Medicare for All Speak Out. Nobody should go into debt for seeking health care. #Medicare4All — with Sarah Stewart, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Gina Owens.

Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

July 2019 Washington, DC —Today, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, alongside Senator Kamala Harris (CA) and Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), have announced that they will introduce groundbreaking new legislation to improve the lives of domestic workers and transform the way people work in America.

The first ever national Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, which will be officially introduced early in the 116th Congress, will provide basic labor protections to more than two million nannies, house cleaners, and care workers across the country, while developing innovations for the future of one of the fastest growing occupations in the country.

“The work of domestic workers is so incredibly important, both as caregivers and as organizers. This is the work that our economy is built on, yet too often, it’s undervalued and underappreciated,” said Senator Kamala Harris. “In America, we all deserve basic rights, safety, and dignity in the workplace. By fighting for fairness and equal treatment, we are fighting for the best of who we are as a country.”

“For the first time in history, we have a chance to raise the bar for every domestic worker in our country, and set the stage for all working people,” said Ai-jen Poo, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “As people live longer, we have the opportunity to embrace an intergenerational future in America, where all of us are cared for at each stage of our lives. All of us deserve to work and live with safety and dignity, and this legislation ensures that no one is left behind.”

The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights will come on the heels of similar laws in eight states and one city enacted over the last decade. In addition to addressing issues facing domestic workers, the bill will:

Create new tools to ensure that these rights are real and that workers can exercise their rights without fear.
“In this critical moment for our country, domestic workers are shaping the future of our economy and drawing the shape of our democracy,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. “Our future depends on each one of us coming together to make change. And domestic workers are standing up for all of us as women, as immigrants, as workers, as people of color. Their strength, courage and power inspires us all as we fight together for workplace democracy.”[39]

“Unstoppable Women Workers”

Washington, DC -- From July 10-12 2019, in the midst a growing women’s movement, a delegation of domestic workers and farmworkers led by Jane Fonda and prominent activists lobbied Congress for safe and dignified workplaces.

Passing a Federal Domestic Workers Bill of Rights to provide the domestic workers with basic labor protections, including the development of a new framework and mechanism that can extend

safety-net benefits to domestic workers.

The delegation additionally held a congressional luncheon on July 11, and a public forum at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center on July 12 that included Jane Fonda as the keynote speaker.

“The issue of workers rights has been very important to me for a long time. But with the rise of the TIME’S UP and #MeToo movements, this is a new reality.” said Jane Fonda, Academy Award winning actress and activist. “If we are truly going to confront and solve the issues of dignity, equality, rights and safety, we have to stand in alliance with our sisters across all sectors. I am honored to be here with domestic workers and farm workers as we call on Congress for policies that will uphold their rights and dignity. We are here for the long haul.”

“Domestic workers and farm workers are proud to be a part of a growing movement of women that are transforming the way we live and work in America,” said Ai-jen Poo, executive director of National Domestic Workers Alliance. “The workers who have been the least visible and most vulnerable are now at the center of our solutions, which means that when we win, no one will be left behind.”

“As we speak, many farmworkers are working 15 hour days to cultivate and harvest the fruits and vegetables that we eat,” said Mily Trevino-Sauceda, co-director of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas. “Hundreds of farmworker women around the country are leading to create change for our community. It’s imperative that we work together to ensure safe and dignified working conditions for all working women.”

“As care workers, we provide care to our loved ones and our most precious possessions. Our work makes all other work possible, yet our exclusion from many labor laws makes us vulnerable to exploitation and abuse,” said Myrla Baldonado, domestic worker and organizer with Pilipino Workers Center. “We need to pass stronger laws and enforce them to protect all of us, not just some. We ask you to stand with us. We must change the way America cares.”

This effort builds on this year’s Unstoppable Day of Action, which for the first time brought together more than 100 domestic workers and farmworker women to the nation’s capital to push for an expansion of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act among other workplace laws.[40]